As a Democrat, Bishop served in the Alabama State Senate from 1983 to 1991. He ran unsuccessfully for his party’s nomination for governor in 1990 and 2002. He was elected as Commissioner of The Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries for the term from 1999 to 2003. Bishop switched to the Republican Party before the election in 2006. He unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for a seat in the Alabama House of Representatives in 2010.

Bishop made national news in June 2007 when he hit fellow Senator Lowell Barron, a Democrat, while on the Senate floor. According to the Birmingham News Bishop claims that Barron called him a "son of a bitch" while the Senate was in recess during an "animated conversation." Bishop was offended by this, as he said "Where I lived, if someone called you that, they are talking about your mother." Barron, in a Fox News report, denied saying that to Bishop. He said the Jasper senator used an expletive to him and he was trying to get away when he was hit by Bishop on the side of the head near an ear.[1] Bishop reported that he hit Barron with his right arm, hitting him anywhere. Patrick Harris, assistant secretary of the Senate, saw the attack and restrained Bishop.[2] The Senate later considered censuring Bishop and expelling him from the chamber for the remainder of the day, but Bishop said that wasn't necessary and walked out of the Statehouse